“Stand by the roadways and look.. Ask about the ancient paths which is the way to what is good? Then take it and find rest for yourselves.” Jeremiah 6:16

Our final lesson in this unit called the “The Roads Less Traveled” is on meditation. Psalm 1 and 110 are two of the passages we examine this Sunday that speak to the practice of prayer and meditation.

The word meditation in Hebrew means to “chew on” and the word picture is that of a cow chewing its cud. Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church and author of “The Purpose Driven Life” says “If you know how to worry, then you know how to meditate.” In Mark 1 we read how important meditation was to Jesus as He got up early to spend time in prayer.

In the Life Values member’s book this week there is a great article on how the practice of meditation is being emphasized in our day. Lectio divina or “sacred reading” provides some guides to this spiritual exercise. Here are the highlights:

Slowly read a small portion of Scripture out loud. Listen for God to focus you on a phrase or verse.

Chew/Meditate on that phrase or sentence and connect it with your concerns.

Celebrate the love and security that God brings you.

Act on the truth that you are discovering and be a doer of the Word.

Things to Think About and Ponder:
Eastern meditation suggests emptying your mind. Christian meditation means filling your mind. What is the best resource to fill your mind with?
Some translations use the word “hidden” and others say “treasure” the Word of God in your heart. What do these phrases mean?
What white noise do you need to avoid or cut off so that you can hear clearly from God?
Do you think you should read the Bible daily, twice a week, once a week, or every now and then? What is your pattern? How is that working for you?